Can Gambling Addiction be Cured?
30 Mar 2006
Gambling can be a very enjoyable pastime and millions of people worldwide enjoy it as a leisure activity. However, gambling has its darker side and many become addicted. A new drug on the market claims to cure this addiction.
While gambling is a billion dollar industry and a leisure activity enjoyed by millions of people across the globe, it also has a darker side. If the player has no sense of self-control, gambling can become addictive and difficult to control. Gamblers go through periods of craving the game, acting irrationally and thinking about gambling all the time. A new drug on the market, however, might be able to put an end to this type of addictive behavior for good as researchers announce excellent results in experiments done on compulsive gamblers.
The new wonder-drug, called nalmefene, was developed by a Finnish biotechnology company, BioTie Therapies. Simply speaking, nalmefene blocks the desire that comes with gambling and drastically reduces the cravings and compulsive behavior associated with gambling. A research team tested 200 pathological gamblers. Over a four-month period, participants needed to fill in weekly questionnaires about gambling and towards the end of the experiment, 2/3 of those who had remained in the program reported a drastic decline in the need to gamble.
As mentioned, 200 gamblers began the program to research the affect of the drug on gambling addiction. The problem was that the majority dropped out before the drug could take effect, mostly due to their ambivalence about quitting. While many recognize that they have a gambling problem, most are not sure that they are ready to give it up.
